A comparative assessment of cyclic deformation behaviour in SA333 Gr.6 steel using solid, hollow specimens under axial and shear strain paths

•Examined cyclic deformation due to specimen geometry and strain path.•C–Mn steel used for the study using solid and hollow specimens.•Differences in the deformation behaviour has been noticed.•Hysteresis loops and a probability density function (PDF) method employed for analyses.•Explanation given through the banded microstructure of the steel investigated.

Strain controlled cyclic deformation behaviour in a carbon–manganese steel has been studied using solid and thin walled tubular specimens. Both solid and tubular specimens were used for axial strain experiments, while only tubular specimens were used for shear strain experiments. Axial fatigue life in tubular specimens were lower than that in solid specimens. A probability density based analyses of hysteresis loop was employed to understand local yield level changes in solid/hollow specimens under axial or shear strain deformation. The observed difference in the local yield levels have been reasoned to the banded microstructure of the material.